Today's Cancelled Trains
vijay mallya
04:46
Work on Hassan-Bangalore Railway line through Vijay Mallya’s stud farm under way
Work on Hassan-Bangalore Railway line through Vijay Mallya’s stud farm under way
Bangalore (SBC):The Hassan-Bangalore railway line is all set to cut across the historic Kunigal Stud Farm owned by Vijay Mallya despite the Southern Railway’s assurance that it would find an alternative route.
Work has begun on the 1.05-km line across the 425-acre stud farm after the Karnataka high court ruled that the railway line should not run through 70 acres of farm land of 300 farmers in Kunigal, which the Southern Railways had proposed as an alternate route.
Zeyn Mirza, managing director, United Racing and Bloodstock Breeders Ltd (URBB), and stud manager Dr NM Dinesh on Friday said with the train running through the farm, it would make breeding at Kunigal very difficult given the noise, pollution and lack of security and privacy for pregnant mares.
“We don’t have a choice now and therefore asked the railways to at least construct a 3-metre high safety wall on either side of the line. They have agreed to do it and it should provide some relief,” said Mirza.
Dinesh pointed out that over 35 trees, which are over a hundred years old, will have to be chopped down for the railway line. “The railway authorities said there’s no option and tree-cutting has already started,” said Dinesh, adding that the stud farm houses a couple of sandalwood trees too. In an effort not to disturb breeding, Southern Railway engineers provided Kunigal three underpasses to reach the other side of the farm.
